east area plan - denver...east area plan steering committee meeting april 26, 2018. artgym denver,...
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East Area PlanSteering Committee MeetingApril 26, 2018Art Gym Denver
East Area PlanSteering Committee Meeting
April 26, 2018ArtGym Denver, 1460 Leyden Street
AGENDA
1 6:00-6:05 Approval of March Meeting Summary
2 6:05-7:00 Vision Statement Development Activity: Equitable, Affordable, & Inclusive
3 7:00-7:50 Vision Statement Development Activity: Well Connected, Safe, and Accessible Places
4 7:50-8:00 Frequently Asked Questions and Announcements
Vision Statement DevelopmentOpportunities Analysis
VISION ELEMENTS1. Equitable, Affordable and Inclusive
2. Strong and Authentic Neighborhoods
3. Well Connected, Safe and Accessible Places
4. Economically Diverse and Vibrant
5. Environmentally Resilient
6. Healthy and Active
Equitable, Affordable and InclusiveHousing
Housing CommentsHousing868 Comments12% of all comments
115 comments were associated with a pin on a map
Frequent Words & Phrases:• Homelessness• Colfax• Motel• Affordable Housing• Diversity• Rent/cost• Density• Character
Housing Comments: LikesLikes249 Comments29%
29 comments were associated with a pin on a map
Dislikes376 Comments43%
51 comments were associated with a pin on a map
Ideas243 Comments28%
34 comments were associated with a pin on a map
Affordability (54%)Likes (18%)• Affordability (for range of
incomes and households)• Diversity• Proximity Dislikes (49%)• Increasing lack of affordability
(rising rents, housing costs, gentrification)
• Displacement & loss of diversity• Motels• Homelessness• Concentrations of low income
housingIdeas (33%)• Preserve existing/create more
affordable housing • Alternatives to motels • Mixed use/income on Colfax• Rental protections, ownership
options (creative models) • High quality housing options for
low-income residents, immigrants/refugees
East Area Affordability – Existing Conditions
• 4,585 East households (31%) are cost-burdened, as compared to 36% citywide
• 7,030 East Central households (48%), including 4,569 renter households (70%), live in areas that are vulnerable to involuntary displacement
Housing Options (35%)Likes (18%)• Diversity of housing types, which
currently are affordable • Mix of residential neighborhoods
and urban character• Phoenix on the Fax; housing that
serve immigrant/refugee community
Dislikes (41%)• Loss of diverse options• Scrapes/inappropriate infill • Density/over-development• Lack of resources for people
experiencing homelessness and/or staying in motels
Ideas (41%)• More housing and mixed uses on
Colfax/near transit• Maintain neighborhood character• Incremental infill – ADUs, carriage
lots, small multi-unit• Preserve motel character while
converting to better housing• Innovative housing models
East Area Kick-Off Survey and Keypad Polling 2017
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Families YoungProfessionals
Seniors Low-incomeResidents
DisabledResidents
Other
The East Area has good housing options for...(Check all that apply)
East Area Housing Options – Existing Conditions• 97% of East residential buildings have 1-2 units, as compared to
96% citywide
• 31% of units in East are within a multi-unit (3+) building, as compared to 40% citywide
• 89% of units in East have two or more bedrooms, as compared to 83% citywide
• 38% of households in East are occupied by a householder living alone, as compared to 39% citywide
• 24% of households in East have children, as compared 26% citywide
East – Housing Quality Housing Quality (33%)Likes (42%)• Neighborhood character• Older homes & residential
buildings• Mix of home stylesDislikes (38%)• Motel conditions• Poor upkeep of existing
housing stock• Overcrowding• Inappropriate infill (scale,
architecture, quality)Ideas (20%)• Redevelop/improve motels• Increased landlord
accountability• Improvements to existing
housing • More appropriate infill
Housing Key Opportunities1. Diverse and inclusive neighborhoods with
affordable housing options for a wide mix of incomes and households
2. Residents have long-term housing security and options to rent and buy a range of housing types
3. Residential neighborhoods with a mix of housing types that respect existing character, including single-unit, ADUs, duplexes, and multi-unit
4. A strong support network of high-quality housing options and services for those most in need
In 2040…• Who will be living here?• What types of housing
will they have?• How will the housing
serve residents’ needs?
Housing Discussion Activity• Choose one or more Key Opportunities that you feel strongly
about and should be a priority OR describe one that you feel is missing.
• Imagine you are in the year 2040 and are describing what this Key Opportunity looks like.
• Write 1 sentence on a sticky note. Start your description with “In 2040”, this will help you stay focused on Outcomes and not process.
Well Connected, Safe and Accessible PlacesMobility
Mobility2,444 comments32% of all comments
732 comments were associated with a pin on a map
Frequent words and phrases:• East Colfax• Traffic• Pedestrian friendly• Walking distance• Sidewalks• Bike lanes
Likes576 comments24% of mobility comments
166 comments were associated with a pin on a map
Dislikes965 comments39% of mobility comments
412 comments were associated with a pin on a map
Ideas903 comments37% of mobility comments
123 comments were associated with a pin on a map
Pedestrians1,346 comments55% of mobility comments
Like (20%)• Walkability: quiet streets; close to
everything; trails, parkways, greenways; walking dogs
• Sidewalks: wide; good conditionDislike (40%)• Sidewalks: missing, poor quality/too
narrow• Crossings are unsafe, too far apart• Poor streetscapes: need more trees,
less garbage• Safety: walking on and crossing
Colfax, high-speed adjacent traffic, inadequate lighting
Ideas (41%)• Complete sidewalk network with
wider, detached, clean sidewalks• Safer crossings: street lights,
crosswalks at reasonable distance• Quebec St and Colfax Ave
improvements• More destinations to walk to (First
Friday-type event)
Existing Conditions: Pedestrians17% of sidewalks in East are missing, compared to 9% citywide
In East Colfax, 23% of sidewalks are missing
Along arterials, the average space between signals is over 1,050 feet in East, which is 100 feet longer than the citywide average
Colfax Avenue, Colorado Boulevard, and Quebec Street are part of the High Injury Network identified by Vision Zero
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Very easy
Fairly easy
Not easy
Walking in the East Area is...
Almost half of respondents to our intercept survey cited pedestrian safety as a priority
Bicyclists453 comments19% of mobility comments
Like (20%)• Bike-ability• Access to bike lanesDislike (32%)• Bike lanes: not enough, not
connected• Unsafe for bicyclists on: high-speed
roads, high-volume roads, sidewalks• Inadequate bicyclist treatment at
intersections• Not enough bike parkingIdeas (47%)• More bicycle infrastructure
• Protected lanes, family-friendly facilities
• North/south routes• Provide connections between
existing facilities• Better-quality and better-maintained
bicycle infrastructure• Improved lighting
Existing Conditions: BicyclistsThere are 4 miles of separated bikeways in East, or 1 linear mile of bikeway per square mile, compared to 1.25 miles citywide.
There is less than 1 mile of protected bikeways in East.
3% of residents commute to work by bicycle, compared to 2% citywide
0 100 200 300 400 500
Very easy
Fairly easy
Not easy
Biking in the East Area is...
Almost a quarter of respondents to our intercept survey cited bike lanes as a priority
Transit419 comments17% of mobility comments
Like (16%)• Transit in area is close, easy to access,
and a viable way to get around• Potential to become a BRT corridorDislike (31%)• Transit in area is:
• Too infrequent• Slowed by traffic• Not enough route options• Not safely accessible• Not increasing with
population growth• Not affordable
Ideas (53%)• Transit-only lanes• Investing in transit overall
• Improving the stops• Extending frequency, route
options• Rapid transit on Colfax Ave (BRT)
and Colorado Blvd• Other kinds of transit: trolley, raised
light rail, cable cars, trains
Existing Conditions: Transit82% of households are within a quarter mile of a transit stop compared to 75% citywide; 50% are within a quarter mile of a high frequency transit stop, compared to 36%citywide
6% of residents commute to work on transit, compared to 7% citywide
11% of East residents don’t own a car, which is the same as citywide
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
Frequently
Occasionally
Rarely
Never
I use public transit in the East Area...
Almost a quarter of respondents to our intercept survey cited transit access as a priority
Cars807 comments33% of mobility comments
Like (12%)• Access to highways, regional
destinations, downtown, auto services, amenities
• Minimal traffic on side streets• On-street parking• Grid layoutDislike (64%)• Traffic speed, congestion, safety,
impact on pedestrians• Breaking traffic laws: running red
lights, failing to yield, speeding• Car-centric development, auto-
services and dealerships• Deliveries/loading blocking lanesIdeas (23%)• Traffic calming: speed bumps, signal
updates, speed cameras, additional lights
• Make everything less car-centric• Better north/south connections
• Improve Quebec• Increase traffic enforcement
Cars807 comments33% of mobility comments
Parking Dislikes• Parking lots are a waste of space• People park on sidewalks, double
parking• Scarcity and spillover into residential
neighborhoodsParking Ideas • Get rid of parking lots• Require off-street parking• Move off-street parking behind
buildings• Preserve on-street parking• Remove on-street parking
Existing Conditions: CarsColfax Avenue, Colorado Boulevard, and Quebec Street are part of the High Injury Network identified by Vision Zero
From 2011 to 2015, the rate of vehicle crashes per resident in East was 50% higher than the citywide average
70% of commuters drive alone to work, which is the same as the citywide average
Mobility Key Opportunities1. Safe, accessible, and well-maintained sidewalks and crossings on all
streets
2. Biking is safe, comfortable, and accessible for all riding levels
3. Reliable, frequent, and affordable transit with well-maintained shelters
4. Clean, tree-lined streets that equitably serve the neighborhood
5. Driving is optional, and walking, biking, and taking transit is easy
6. Efficient use of space that provides adequate parking and driving lanes while prioritizing walking, biking and transit
7. Elimination of all traffic injuries and fatalities
Mobility Discussion Activity• Choose one or more Key Opportunities that you feel strongly
about and should be a priority OR describe one that you feel is missing.
• Imagine you are in the year 2040 and are describing what this Key Opportunity looks like.
• Write 1 sentence on a sticky note. Start your description with “In 2040”, this will help you stay focused on Outcomes and not process.
FAQs and Announcements